[aznhoney]

Hi everyone! I was thinking of doing travel nursing in San Diego, and I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions for good hospitals to work at? I'm an ICU nurse, so if any of you have any experience in the critical care units at any of the hospitals in San diego, I would really appreciate your input. In general, though, I would appreciate any input on good hospitals to work at in San Diego. Thank you!

[Lavendarj]

hey when are you going.. i have been thinking of going myself in january.. i have been wondering this same thing.. i hear that kaiser is a good company

[EazyE]

I am currently on assignment at Kaiser S.D. It is one of the worst places to work. I am an ICU nurse, but travelers are ALWAYS the first to float. People do NOT help you, and you WILL get the worst assignments on the units. I wish that I could have something positive to say, so here goes: at least the law gives you patient to nurse ratios 2:1 in the ICU, and 3-4:1 on the floors. Most of the time they make sure that you get breaks/lunch, etc.

Very inefficient hospital, although we did just implement a new computer system that is promising in the distance. No Pyxxis, still do Narc counts and have med carts. The ancillary services are pitiful at best, i.e. lab, transport, pharmacy, etc. Definitely a difference in patient care, most nurses are not concerned with high quality care, mediocre most times. They do NOT put the patient first and do what is best for them. It was a big change coming from Indiana.

No trauma, no hearts, no invasive cardio. Mostly geriatrics and chronic illness. Coming from a level II trauma and a Primary Stroke Center...things are very different. It may take all day to get your blood T & C'd, and given; all day to get meds from pharmacy and they will argue with you about emergency drips (if you can't mix them yourself). I really could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. There's a reason why they pay the highest of all the area hospitals. Two thumbs down. If I didn't like S.D. I would likely break my contract and go elsewhere.

[LydiaRN99]

I recently traveled to San Diego. I am an ER nurse and worked at a few out there. Palomar/Pomerado is a good system. Pomerado is not really busy and the people are all very pleasant. Very "cush" as I would say. Also the Sharp hospitals are good. I worked at Memorial, Grossmont and Chula Vista. All good hospitals. Lots of travelers. Sharp pays better than Pomerado, but there are more Sharp hospitals than Pomerado (they only have 2, Sharp has many). I traveled with Access Nurses who are based in S.D. They are a GREAT company to travel with. Also, if you're single and looking for the greatest place to live out there, go to La Mirage. I didn't live there because they don't accept dogs, but all of my friends did and it was a blast. Parking sucks for your friends, but the pool is AWESOME! Trust me if you like to hang with young people and enjoy your days off , La Mirage is the place to be. You'll meet all sorts of travelers and military people there!

[DingoElDiablo]

All I have to say is "Stay the hell away from Kaiser San Diego!". I warned you. Its the most unsafe place to work. They could care less about the patients. Its pretty bad when you have patients telling you that Kaiser is the worst place they ever been treated, if treated at all. Some patients think they are at the Ritz Carlton, due to Kaiser praising themselves to the nines, and saying that patients will get this and that out of their so called healthcare. I work in Emergency, and came from a level one trauma center into this hell of a so called ER. They don't know how to do any emergency's!! The Dr's are the worst i've ever seen in my life, and the most impersonal i've met, They don't even check with you about your patients and will go to the computer to see a patients history before even checking on the patient that is practically dying in the bed! The Dr's also think that the nurses are their secretary's, they can't use a phone for s#!t, and will call you to phone the lab when they could have just done it, instead of giving the nurse crap about the labs problem. Its HORRIBLE!!!! I've never been so upset about working at a place, and i've worked some bad places. If you want to get a diabetics sugar up, forget it, I still don't know where they keep the D50. The crash carts don't even have an airway kit! Plus the place says crap about team this and that, but all you get is the travelers being "The Team". I would say about half of the nurses there are lazy as hell. Forget having a patient with an MI, they'll just put'em in the hallway. Man, there is more than this I could ramble on about. I would take a paycut any day and work at Sharp, apparently alot of the good nurses took off and went there from Kaiser. Don't let the good pay fool you. Oh, forgot, the middle man Nursefinders will more than likely screw your hours up, if they even get your timesheets.

[nursesconnect@aol.com]

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